near to Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, Great Britain

Carman Hill-fort: line of outer enclosure

See NS3779 : Ancient hill-fort on Carman Hill for the main description of the hill-fort. Click on the end-note title for related pictures, and see the annotated satellite view linked from the end-note as an index to these pictures and their positions in the fort.

Th present photo shows part of the boundary of the outer enclosure of the hill-fort, as indicated by the receding line of boulders in the foreground; this photo was taken near the south-western corner of the boundary.

Carman Reservoir is visible in the middle distance. In the background, the double peak of Dumbarton Rock (a volcanic plug, NS3974) can be seen on the near shore of the River Clyde; the distant tower blocks visible near the left-hand edge of the photo are in Bellsmyre (NS4076), with the escarpment of the Kilpatrick Hills behind them.

This large hill-fort was identified in 1954 from aerial photographs, and is thought to date from the Early Historic period (Dark Ages): see Link for an annotated satellite view, and Link for other antiquities nearby. The fort lies within what was once the territory of the Damnonii and (later) of the British kingdom of Alt Clut, whose fortress was at Dumbarton Rock: Link

The reservoir, which was officially opened in 1886, is now disused; there is a trout fishery based alongside it. Carman Reservoir was created by damming and enlarging an existing Carman Loch, which was itself artificial: the loch had been created in connection with the nearby Millburn Works; it was also occasionally used for curling.